I’ve become a creature of habit and find my grocery list is about the same week to week. While it makes for streamlined trips to the store, I realize I’ve allowed my dependence on routine to zap the creativity I once had in the kitchen.

The same warm hues popping up in the foliage are making their way to the produce aisle; seasonal items like cranberries, pomegranates, root vegetables and squash offer an opportunity to add more color to my dinner plate. Most of these items, especially the vegetables, are best when kept as simple as possible and, typically, need little more than a drizzle of olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper and a half hour in the oven.

I gave some beautiful butternut squash a starring role in last week’s pasta dinner by first roasting it, then whipping it smooth in the food processor. Fresh sage and salty sausage complemented the creamy orange sauce, creating a dish that was creative and just as seasonal in color as it was flavor.

Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½” slices.

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

½ cup chicken broth

1 pound of ground sausage

1 tablespoons butter, unsalted

2 large shallots, cut into thin slices

1 box of penne pasta

1 tablespoons fresh sage, minced

 

 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place butternut squash in a 13”x9” glass dish, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss. Bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, until soft with slightly browned edges, tossing often. Once cooked, place in food processor and process until smooth. Pulse in chicken broth and set aside. In a large, deep saute pan, cook sausage over medium low heat until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow fat to drain. Pour off fat from pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Heat pan over medium low heat and add butter. Add shallots and cook, until caramelized, stirring often, approximately 20 minutes. In the meantime, cook penne until al dente and, once ready, reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining. To the caramelized shallots, pour in squash and broth mixture and add sausage. Stir in pasta water and pasta, allowing sauce to coat the penne. Top with fresh sage.